{"id":45291,"date":"2026-04-09T01:56:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T01:56:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=45291"},"modified":"2026-04-09T01:56:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T01:56:23","slug":"fitness-fans-are-traveling-around-the-world-for-runcations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=45291","title":{"rendered":"Fitness fans are traveling around the world for &#8216;runcations&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<br \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>When Elizabeth Arnold and her daughter visited Greece from Denver, Colorado, in August 2021, it wasn\u2019t to sunbathe on a beach in Mykonos or take in the ruins of Athens.<\/p>\n<p>Their sightseeing looked pretty different from that of the typical tourist as they ran along a coastal trail in\u00a0 Kastro, on the island of Sifnos, pausing to take in the sound of a piano from a nearby window, inhale the scent of crushed eucalyptus leaves or dip their feet in the ocean.<\/p>\n<p>For Arnold, a longtime runner and senior retreat leader of <a href=\"https:\/\/runwildretreats.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Run Wild Retreats<\/a>, travel and running are inseparable \u2014 and she\u2019s not alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>More and more jet-setting fitness fans are embracing \u201cruncations\u201d \u2014 getaways centered on running, which can include everything from destination races to resorts with scenic trails to hotels employing their own \u201crunning concierges.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Fitness fans like Molly Baker (pictured) are fueling the \u201cruncations\u201d trend. Baker loves starting her trip with a marathon and continuing her travels from there. <span class=\"credit\">JOHNNY ZHANG<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Runcations have surged in popularity since the pandemic, during which many people turned to running as a way to stay active when gyms were closed. Social media and the growth of run clubs accelerated the trend, drawing a new generation into the sport.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Global participation in running clubs rose 59% in 2024, according to a Strava report, with clubs on the platform <a href=\"https:\/\/press.strava.com\/articles\/strava-releases-12th-annual-year-in-sport-trend-report-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">now exceeding<\/a> 1 million.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>TripAdvisor\u2019s 2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tripadvisor.com\/Articles-lWEDnGiu8I60-Trendcast26.html\">Trendcast<\/a> identified \u201csweat jetting\u201d \u2014 trips built around athletic experiences \u2014 as one of tourism\u2019s fastest-growing avenues. Accor also <a href=\"https:\/\/all.accor.com\/a\/en\/limitless\/thematics\/lifestyle-trends\/travel-trends-2025.html#:~:text=Athletic%20Adventures&amp;text=2025%20will%20see%20more%20travellers,challenges%20into%20exciting%20global%20adventures.\">predicts<\/a> \u201cathletic adventures\u201d will be a major travel trend, citing a 50% increase in searches for \u201cworkout holidays.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Runcations fall into two categories: race-focused trips and vacations in which running is the primary way to explore the destination. As interest grows, hotels and resorts answer with guided runs, curated routes and wellness recovery programs.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Marathoning around the world<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Molly Baker, 34, has been running since childhood and now structures many vacations around destination marathons. Even on trips without races, she and her husband pick places where they can run.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI typically don\u2019t love going to the Caribbean because it\u2019s really hard to run on some of those islands,\u201d Baker told The Post. On a recent babymoon in St. Barths, she found a way to keep up the habit. \u201cThere was a little, teeny, tiny gym. But it had a huge window, so you could look out at the ocean while you were running.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Most of the time, the race becomes the starting point for a longer trip.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUsually, we\u2019ll go do the marathon first and then travel afterward,\u201d Baker said. After running the Tokyo Marathon, the couple continued to Kyoto, where they found scenic river routes and squeezed in several more runs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption>Baker has been running since childhood and even did it on her babymoon. <span class=\"credit\">Molly Baker<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption>She and her husband always pick places where they can run. <span class=\"credit\">Molly Baker<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>For Baker, running also provides a way to connect with people and places that traditional tourism rarely does.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMost recently with Tokyo, we met people on the plane who were running the marathon,\u201d she said. \u201cI went on a shakeout run at the hotel with someone from Australia. So you really get to connect with people in ways that we don\u2019t have very often anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignright\">\n\t<\/aside>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Running \u2018round the world, seeing the sights<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u200bFor Andy Solarz, running fits into any trip. The 36-year-old lifelong runner, marathoner and founder of PR Running Hats sometimes picks race destinations but most often uses running to immerse himself into new places.<\/p>\n<p>When traveling, he\u2019ll often ask hotel staff for route tips or check Strava, but sometimes he simply explores on his own. He typically logs anywhere from three to 10 miles a day, leaving time to recover.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLast weekend, we were in Madrid, and I didn\u2019t know where I was going to go,\u201d Solarz said. \u201cAny time I saw a cool little corner, I\u2019d just run down that way and make my own little path.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Following the Berlin Marathon, Solarz and his partner kept up their routine, running through Paris and Portugal. Sometimes, they\u2019d run to a bakery, grab a pastry and keep going. \u201cYou have to get there one way or another. So why not run?\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Andy Solarz (pictured) often asks hotel staff for route tips or checks Strava, but sometimes he explores on his own. <span class=\"credit\">Andy Solarz<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A (running) world tour<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>While some people plan their own itineraries, demand for organized marathon trips has more than doubled since the pandemic, according to Jeff Adams, president of <a href=\"https:\/\/marathontours.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-nyp-affiliate=\"true\">Marathon Tours &amp; Travel<\/a>. Many runners bring friends or family, and women aged 25-34 remain a fast-growing group.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s that feeling of being a global citizen and the athletic accomplishment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>While major marathons, such as those in London, Paris and New York, are super popular, his tour company also sells out trips to China, Iceland, Australia, Kenya and even Bhutan.<\/p>\n<p>But not every runner is chasing a finish line. Michael Mazzara \u2014 CEO of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.roguexpeditions.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rogue Expeditions<\/a>, a top multiday running tour operator in North America \u2014 said many travelers are drawn to multiday trips that combine running with exploration.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a whole bunch of people that don\u2019t necessarily want to train for a marathon,\u201d he said. \u201cBeing able to run 5 miles a day for a week in Morocco is way more appealing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In addition to Morocco, Rogue Expeditions\u2019 favorite running destinations include the Dolomites in Italy and Patagonia\u2019s Eberhard Fjord.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Sometimes, Solarz runs to a bakery, grabs a pastry and keeps going. \u201cYou have to get there one way or another. So why not run?\u201d he said. <span class=\"credit\">Andy Solarz<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u200bEven hotels are capitalizing on the trend<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>With runcations on the rise, hotels are designing services for guests who want to maintain training while exploring new destinations.<\/p>\n<p>Westin Hotels &amp; Resorts has long supported runners through its <a href=\"https:\/\/westin.marriott.com\/wellness\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-nyp-affiliate=\"true\">WestinWORKOUT<\/a> program, which offers curated running routes \u2014 and, at select properties, guided runs led by a concierge. The brand has also partnered with the Abbott World Marathon Majors to support race participants in cities such as Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York and Tokyo.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignright\">\n\t<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cLong before wellness became an industry talking point, we noticed something simple but meaningful: Our guests wanted ways to stay active and feel like themselves on the road,\u201d said Peggy Roe, executive vice president and chief customer officer at Marriott International. \u201cThey weren\u2019t just looking for a fitness room; they wanted the freedom to keep their routines while experiencing a destination in a way that felt authentic and energizing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Luxury resorts are leveraging their geography to get in on the action. The Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, which sits on a 3,000-acre reserve along Mexico\u2019s Pacific coast, introduced a \u201crun concierge\u201d program featuring guided runs ranging from casual jogs to longer routes through jungle trails or along the coastline.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA lot of guests were really interested in continuing the routines that they had at home,\u201d said Ali Tighe, the resort\u2019s p.r. director. They see several guests training for marathons or Ironman competitions.<\/p>\n<p>At boutique hotels, such as N\u00f4made Tulum and Be Tulum, some guests build their days around sunrise beach runs, followed by recovery routines, including yoga and cold plunges.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Urban hotels, such as Athens\u2019 Hotel Grande Bretagne, offer guided runs past landmarks such as the Acropolis and Panathenaic Stadium.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Several hotels are also offering programming designed just for runners. <span class=\"credit\">Andy Solarz<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Movement over relaxation<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>For years, runners often squeezed workouts into the margins of vacation time.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you think about the type of person who goes on vacation with their family, the other people in the family are non-runners,\u201d said Mazzara. \u201cThey\u2019ll try to plan a run before breakfast or after lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Runcations, though, place running at the heart of travel. For Arnold, this means favoring exploration over speed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s ironic, because when people think \u2018run,\u2019 there\u2019s that level of intimidation \u2014 like, \u2018Oh, my gosh, I have to be fast,\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cWe take the fast out of running. It\u2019s a slowdown on everything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Arnold said many of her run retreat guests return year after year for the same reason.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur repeat customers say they come because it\u2019s a reconnection to values,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s a transformation of what\u2019s important \u2014 a reconnection to self.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For these travelers, vacation is not a break from routine; it\u2019s a chance to take that routine to new surroundings. Roe said she relates to this instinct as someone who travels often.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s something incredibly grounding about lacing up your shoes and heading out for a run in a new city,\u201d she said. \u201cIt clears your mind, connects you to a place, and brings a sense of rhythm to days that can otherwise feel nonstop.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/04\/08\/health\/fitness-fans-are-traveling-around-the-world-for-runcations\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Elizabeth Arnold and her daughter visited Greece from Denver, Colorado, in August 2021, it wasn\u2019t to sunbathe on a beach in Mykonos or take in&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45292,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-wellness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=45291"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45291\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/45292"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=45291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=45291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=45291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}